


Perfect Person, Wrong Time

by mitchellsowen



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-27 00:41:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21383236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mitchellsowen/pseuds/mitchellsowen
Summary: What if Paul did not die that fateful day? What if Paul and Ben moved away to Newcastle to be closer to Lola & Lexi because Paul had persuaded him to become a better father? What if they returned one day? What would happen then when Ben walks into the Vic and sees a beautiful man stood behind the bar?A AU were Paul survived and Ben and him were still together when Ben met Callum.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 5
Kudos: 44





	Perfect Person, Wrong Time

Ben was busy in the kitchen making toast for Lexi when he felt a pair of warm arms wrap around his waist. A smile worked its way onto his lips as he took in the familiar scent and as his eyes wandered down to the butter knife, he caught a glimpse of the tattoo of his name inscribed on the others' finger. Paul. His boyfriend. They had been together for nearly three years now and had recently returned to Walford with Lola and Lexi after finding out that his father had gotten himself involved in some dodgy business dealings.

“Good morning,” Paul spoke softly as he placed a kiss on Ben’s neck causing goosebumps to form. 

“Good morning handsome,” Ben spoke as he spun around, placing a small kiss on the lips of the other as he picked up the plate of toast and jam that he had made for Lexi.

He wondered into the living/dining room and placed the plate in front of her. A warm smile on his lips as he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his daughters head. “There you are, princess.” A tired thank you fell from her lips as he turned his attention back to Paul.

”So, what are your plans for today Mr. Coker?” He asked as he picked up the mug of tea from the dining room table that was still mildly warm and took a sip.

“Well, I told Jay that I would help him out at the parlor today.” Paul shrugged as he adjusted the black suit that his grandfather had supplied him with on finding out that he was returning to Walford.

Ben nodded his head. “Well, I best get trouble here off to school and then I have some stuff to sort out at the Arches.”

Lexi perked up at the mention of her nickname. “Will you come with us, Paul?” She spoke with a flutter of her eyelashes.   
  
A soft smile passed over Paul’s lips. “Of course I will.”

”Yay!” Lexi jumped up on excitement and ran to the door, grabbing her bag along the way.   
  
Ben wrapped his arm around Paul’s shoulder as they both followed Lexi out the door. He could not keep the smile on his face, in fact, he had not been able to keep the smile off his face since he had returned. He was finally back in the place he called home, he had repaired the damaged relationship that he had with Lola and Lexi, he and Paul were the strongest they had ever been and if everything went to plan then he was set to make a profit from the Arches.

Things were starting to finally look as if they were starting to settle, bringing him some normality in his life. He was sure that nothing would rock that boat anytime soon. 

*************************************

Callum was behind the bar talking to Jay and Lola with Whitney. He had met Jay last year when he had returned to the square but Lola was a new face to him. Jay had introduced Lola to him as an old friend but from the way that he caught Jay's eyes wandering in her direction when she was not looking Callum was sure that there was more than just a friendship between them. They were busy talking about Lexi, Lola's daughter, when Whitney gazed his way, clearly the fact that they had a pregnancy scare at the beginning of the year was still playing on her mind. They had both agreed that they were not ready yet but for Callum, there was a bigger reason. A reason hidden deep inside him that he spent years hiding from the people around him. The only person who had ever known was Chris. Chris, the first man that he had loved. He was pushed from his thoughts as he felt Whitney's lips on his.

He decided that after Lola's comment about the pair needed a room, he would question the two on their obvious connection but the pair quickly shut down his comment. 

His gaze still focused on Lola and Jay as he heard the door to the Vic open and gruff voice speak. His eyes not once meeting the new frame in the picture but it was clear that he was friends with Jay and Lola. His gaze only shifted once he heard the other's palm slap the bar. He froze, he was met by the handsome stranger, his blue eyes were piercing and the cocky smile that appeared on his features caused a rush of warmth to form on his cheeks. He dipped his head for a moment allowing himself a moment to compose himself.

"Ben Mitchell." The stranger spoke as he held out his hand.

"Callum Highway."

The handshake between the pair lasted longer than most, it was clear that neither of them wanted to let go, it was probably because both of them had noticed the spark that had shot through their bodies at the simple gesture. Once Ben had pulled away and nodded, Callum was glad that he had asked for two pints of lager, it had allowed himself a moment to compose himself once more. He busied himself with the pump allowing his gaze to stay focused on pouring the pint though it was starting to become difficult to not gaze up toward Ben. 

He handed the pint to Jay before turning toward Ben once again as he slide the pint across the bar toward him. The cocky smile that had greeted him was once again plastered on his face. Ben took a hold of the drink before Callum had a chance to let go fully and as their fingertips brushed against each other again that feeling, that feeling that he had felt when they had first shook hands had come rushing back. 

Jay and Lola had taken a seat away from the bar but Ben continued to stand talking to him and Whitney. He was glad that Whitney was controlling the conversation because right now he was unsure if he would be able to string a sentence together. Ben's comment on him not being Whit's usual type throw him off guard and he was quick to reinforce how lucky he was. He was. It did not matter how he felt truly about Whitney but it was clear as day how beautiful she was and that anyone would be lucky to have her. Ben gestured Karen who was standing at the other side of the bar and he wondered over, he was glad to have some breathing room, a moment to get his thoughts together. 

He served Karen and as he walked back over, he saw that Ben was now sat talking to Jay and Lola. He carried his job but he could not help that his gaze would be drawn toward the other man now and then, it was much like the gaze that Jay shot Lola when she was not looking. However, he was sure that Ben had noticed him looking sometimes as the usual expression he had on his face would change into a small smirk now and then. 

Callum decided to take a break, he told Whitney he was just heading upstairs for a moment and as he walked into the back, he quickly grabbed a packet of cheese and onion crips to take with him. He took one more look at Ben as he left.

This hiding that he had spent many years doing, the one thing that he had grown good at, he knew was going to be a lot harder to hide now that he laid his eyes upon Ben Mitchell.

*************************************

Ben watched as Callum walked into the back. His focus had been on Jay and Lola but over time he had gotten used to watch things out of the corner of his eye and many times during the time that he spent in the Vic, he had clearly seen that Callum's focus had been on him and he was sure that if Whitney had seen then she would have questioned it. He had not minded though because Callum was a good looking guy, his eyes had a softness about him and his smile could light up any room. He was not sure what it was but behind those eyes, something was lying deep inside him and Ben had made it his mission to find out what it was. He knew he should not after all they were both in relationships. Callum was in a relationship with a woman after all but Ben was not going to deny himself the possibility of finding out what the spark that he felt between the two of them when they exchanged greetings meant. He had always been the curious type. It had tended to get him into trouble but there was nothing new there. 

A familiar scent hit him and he was taken from his thoughts of Callum as he gazed up and saw Paul standing there. The scent growing stronger as Paul leaned in for a kiss before sitting down next to Ben, placing a soft hand on his knee. 

"This is where you got to Jay. I was starting to get worried." Paul joked as Jay laughed.

"Sorry mate. I got caught up." Jay's shoulder nudged toward Lola discreetly so she was not aware of the gesture. Paul nodded as a soft smile appeared over Ben's features. He had always known that Lola had been the one for Jay and he would make it his mission to get the pair together because if any two people belonged together it was them. 

They spent the next few hours catching up, they had not had a proper chance to do that since the three of them had returned to the square, each one busy with work. He had not seen Callum appear since and he would lie that even though Paul, his boyfriend, was sat next to him, he was mildly disappointed. He wanted to speak to Callum again, he wanted to delve deeper and find out more about the man behind that beautiful smile. 

"Everything okay?" He had not realized that he was staring at the bar until he was once again for what seemed like the tenth time pulled out of his thoughts of another man that was not his boyfriend. The one he loved, the one who should be on his mind at whole times because currently, that was not the case, his thoughts were clouded, clouded by the thoughts of the man in a checkered shirt who had just walked back in behind the bar once again, 

*************************************

Callum smiled as he saw Ben look in his direction as he walked back in behind the bar. A feeling deep in his stomach as he watched the other's eyes on him made him feel sick, the good sick, the sick that most would refer to as butterflies. His smile faltered though as his gaze was drawn to the man sat next to Ben, the man whose hand was stroking Ben's leg as he talked to Jay and Lola, laughing about something. A new feeling rushed over him, he was not sure what that feeling was but it almost felt like a feeling of jealousy. He can't be jealous surely, jealous of a man he had only met over a hour ago, a man that only an hour or so ago was a stranger. He watched as Ben walked over to him, his breath hitching in his throat as he fully took in how good Ben looked. The last time that he felt this way toward another man was Chris. The memory of that day that they first met flashed through his mind, they shook hands just like him and Ben had and he felt that same wave of electricity as well. 

"Cal - Callum - earth to Callum." He shook his head as a hand was waved in front of him. He looked up and there it was again, the cocky smile, a trademark of a certain Ben Mitchell. He watched as the other's brow raised in confusion, it was clear that Ben was interested in where his mind was at but Callum would not devolve that information. It would reveal too much, open a can of worms that he would rather be kept in the can. How would he even explain it? He could not just come out and say that he felt the same feeling that he felt around Ben that he felt around the first man that he had been in love with.

"What do you want?" He had not meant the tone of his voice to sound as harsh as it but maybe it was a good thing, maybe it was a good thing to try and keep his distance away from the other. It would be less of a risk that way.

He watched as Ben blinked a few times, it was clear that the other was taken aback and had not expected that tone to fall from his lips. "Thanks for the drinks mate." He pointed to the glasses on the bar and Callum nodded unsure of what to say, scared at the tone that would be used on those words. 

He watched as Ben walked away, still confused as what he done to provoke a reaction like that. He watched as Ben wandered over the other male and plated a kiss on the other's lips as they, Jay and Lola walked out the door. Jay and Lola looking back, nodding their head with thanks. He let out a sigh that he had not realized he had been holding in.

Things had just become a lot more complicated and he knew that if things were going to carry on the way that they had before Ben Mitchell had walked into the bar that afternoon then he would have to do everything in his power to avoid the man with the piercing blue eyes and cocky smile. 

*************************************

Ben's gaze fell back as the door to the Vic closed behind them. This afternoon had certainly been a turn of events, a turn of events that had not turned in the right direction, in fact, it had turned things a full three-sixty. He had felt things in the pit of his stomach that he had first felt when he had met Paul those years before. Feelings he realized had disappeared. He did not know when those feelings had disappeared because he had not realized it until he laid his eyes upon Callum today. The man who he wanted to grab by the shirt, pull him close and kiss those sweet lips of his.

He had started the day, taking Lexi to school with Paul, telling himself that he was glad that things had normalized, that his boat was sailing smoothly but he had not expected that boat to hit a wave and so soon after his return. A wave in the form of a certain Callum Highway. A man he would not forget, a man he was determined to find out more about, no matter the risk, no matter who was hurt in the process. Ben Mitchell always got what he wanted and what he wants is Callum and he was sure that by the way that Callum looked at him tonight that he wanted the same thing. 


End file.
